awesome
Americanadjective
-
causing or inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear.
an awesome sight.
-
exhibiting or marked by awe; showing reverence, admiration, or fear.
-
Slang. very impressive.
That new white convertible is totally awesome.
adjective
-
inspiring or displaying awe
-
slang excellent or outstanding
Commonly Confused
See awful.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of awesome
Explanation
An awesome something or someone is amazing, breathtaking, or overwhelming. Like traveling the globe in a hot air balloon or visiting the Taj Mahal. Or, if you're 7, hearing someone burp the alphabet. Awesome popped on the scene around 1600, probably in a church. It first meant “profoundly reverential,” but morphed later into an adjective meaning “inspiring awe.” Flash forward to the 20th century, when awesome transformed once again — this time into an everyday word for "impressive." These days it's synonymous with "outstanding" and "totally cool."
Vocabulary lists containing awesome
Beowulf vocabulary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
myPerspectives 9.5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Wow! Synonyms for "Amazing"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Reapers look awesome through cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt’s night-vision binoculars that make their skin glow an alien shade of green.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
I think the stories are awesome and intentional, and everything about it, from the planning of it to the marketing, has been from my soul, and I think it deserves several.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
As the network’s famed college basketball commentator Dick Vitale would say, “That’s awesome, baby!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"I'm still quite emotional about it, it was just such a gigantic, awesome event," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Though if I did enter, I would submit something awesome like: Spicy Sparkle Dragon Blast.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
